A smoking journal can be helpful both while you prepare to quit and
after you quit. Use it for as long as it is helpful. Use it to record
information about your smoking behavior and anything else that will be useful
to you, such as the names and phone numbers of your support people or a list of
your reasons to quit.
Start your journal before your quit date, if possible. Make entries
for at least 3 days, including 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day. Record:
- The time, place, and situation (for example,
after a meal or during a coffee break) for each cigarette you
smoke.
- The level or degree of your urge to smoke and your feelings
about not smoking. Describe the feelings and thoughts you have while
smoking.
Take a look at the 3 days' worth of notes, and try to decide when it
will be hardest for you not to smoke. Think about whether you can avoid these
situations. If you cannot avoid them, make a plan of action that lists what you
will do instead of smoking when you find yourself in those situations. Add this
action plan to your journal.
After your quit date, record:
- Each urge or craving for a cigarette and the
time, place, and situation.
- The level or degree of your urge to
smoke and your feelings about not smoking.
- Anything you do to help
you get through the urge (for example, changing activities, breathing as though
you are smoking, chewing on a straw).
The journal doesn't have to be difficult or complex. Here's a sample
of what a smoking journal might look like for someone who is preparing to
quit:
| Cigarette | Time | Place or Situation | Level of need (1-5) |
| 1 | 7:45 | In car, on way to work | 4 |
| 2 | 10:15 | Outside office, 1st coffee break | 2 |
| 3 | | | |
| 4 | | | |
